Bayside Swim Classic

This was a very informal open water swim race held in the Bay next to the Clubrooms in Sandringham. Around 40 competitors including my 3 daughters (Sarah, Rachel & Kerry) entered the race. It was advertised as 1500m, but Clint's GPS watch reported 1650m (however my time made it look more like an 1800m swim). With Peter not entering and Sean in a neck brace from a water skiing accident, I figured Clint would be the favourite with Aurel the next most likely.

After wading out into the bay, to what would be the finish line (marked by Sean standing in knee deep water with a clipboard), we swam about 200m to the start position. During this warmup, I looked back to see Kerry swimming polo (head out of the water). I waited for her to catch up and told her it would be a very long and difficult swim if she kept that up - apparently she didn't like the look of the water (some kids are just fussy). Conditions were perfect and the water was actually on the warm side.

Clint delivered the race instructions whilst we gathered at the start line. After his 3rd explanation I understood the course - 2 and half laps and then back to Sean who would record our time. The first turning marker about 150m away was an anchored boat with people on it, who we hoped were not about to sail away. The second marker was a yellow buoy (a big witch's hat) and the third marker was a large pole (aka 'the stick') about 20m out from a rocky groyne. We would swim in a clockwise direction and skip the detour to the stick on the 3rd lap.

At the start line, the water was just below waist deep. I suggested to Elaine to direct herself, Rachel and Kerry towards the rear to avoid the carnage at the start. I positioned myself behind Clint and Aurel on the left side of the pack and I think Sarah was next to me on my right. The starting gun was simply Clint yelling 'GO' and everybody charged off.

Clint was the obvious person to draft off, so there was a lot of competition for his toes. As a result I got pushed further left and was now swimming beside the pack with nobody directly in front (so no draft). To save energy I tucked in the slipstream of another swimming by sitting on their hip which worked well as we approached the boat for the first time. However I quickly realised I was on the far side for the left turn, so put in a big surge of speed to find a bit of space for myself and was now on the toes of the lead pack. Unfortunately I still experienced a little bit of jostling around the boat and lost a metre or so to swimmers in front and this was all it took for me to lose contact. Having just completed a surge before the boat, I was now feeling a little flat and immediately another swimmer overtook me - a swimmer I recognised as my eldest daughter Sarah. She is a much better swimmer than me, so I was quite happy to sit on her toes.

During the latter parts of the first lap we were joined by another swimmer in Leah. Leah was actually swimming faster than us, but continually going off course so we remained in front. On the second lap, Sarah pulled a gap on me and I thought that was it, I wouldn't see her again until the finish. But soon after I was passed by Leah - I immediately jumped onto her toes and she dragged me back to Sarah. We continued the rest of the 2 and half laps together. Predictably, after we turned the last buoy, Leah and Sarah both sprinted towards the finish at a pace I had no hope of holding (even in their draft). They both would have pulled more distance on me, but I was the only one who seemed capable of swimming straight. Leah beat me by about 10 seconds (maybe a little more) and Sarah beat me by 4 seconds.

I not sure who won the race (I think it is someone I don't know), but a fantastic effort by young Matt to come second and Aurel third. Clint didn't even make the podium, so much for my pre-race predicitions. The results haven't been published yet, so I don't know where Leah, Sarah and myself finished, but I suspect we all made it into the top 10.

After finishing I swam back out onto the course to see how the others were going. I saw a big pack coming in together and immediately thought 'Wow, they're drafting really well'. It was easy to pick out my daughter Kerry at the rear of the pack in her yellow cap and colorful water skiing wetsuit - she was swimming extremely well (with her head in the water). I was amazed to see Brent (who only learnt to swim 6 months ago) swimming in 2nd place and very proud when I realised it was my other daughter Rachel who was out front towing the pack along. Also in the pack was Jan who would have got great drafting experience before Ironman Melbourne in 3 weeks. Brent is also doing Ironman Melbourne (which is why he recently learnt to swim) and I am astounded at how much he has improved in such a short time (and I'm pretty sure it was the first time he has beaten his wife Sarah in a swim).

Elaine wasn't too far back, but swimming alone meant she missed any drafting advantages. The 1.65km is the longest continuous swim Elaine has ever done, so she was extremely pleased with her efforts.

A big congratulations should also go out to Tania, who like Brent only very recently learnt to swim. She did the shorter 750m race, but it was her first time ever swimming in the Bay. I think my first bay swim (in late 2002) was about 100m when I attempted to swim out to one of the sticks at Elwood (I turned early).